Autism Is Jim Calhoun's Biggest Opponent

Jim Calhoun, like many coaches, is superstitious. He might have a lucky tie or piece of jewelry he must wear to end a losing streak, or keep a winning streak going.

But one item that remains in good times and bad is the blue puzzle piece he wears on the lapel of his suit jacket. The symbol for Autism Speaks, like the cause itself, remains close to his heart at all times.

"He has never taken it off," Jeff Calhoun said. "I can't tell you how many people who have mentioned it to me — parents, families touched by autism, who tell me how much it means to them. He is very passionate about it. Just by lending his name and reaching out to people, he has done more than we could ever ask."

Said Amy Calhoun: "When I see that blue pin on his lapel, it sometimes brings tears to my eyes. He is taking this on for Reese."

The cause is a personal one for the Calhoun family. Jeff and Amy's daughter, Reese, now 8, was diagnosed at 2, and her grandfather's involvement with the advocacy group Autism Speaks is very deep.

But because he is scheduled to undergo back surgery on Monday in New York, Calhoun will not be able to participate in an event he has helped launch — "CardioRaiser: Workout for Autism Speaks" — at Cardio Express in Manchester and Southington from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Farmington Bank is the presenting sponsor.

"It's just so important to raise awareness," Jeff Calhoun said, "because autism, anything that involves the brain, is something we don't talk about much as a society. We want to share our story, and hope it lets people know they are not alone."

Hundreds are expected to participate, and the event is expected to raise at least $100,000 for the Connecticut chapter of Autism Speaks. Participants may choose from a variety of exercise activities to help in the cause. Although Jim Calhoun cannot be there, some of his assistants are expected to stop by the morning after UConn plays Syracuse (Saturday night at 9 p.m.). Panera Bread will provide breakfast for participants.

The event will become an annual one, Jeff Calhoun said.

"I am deeply committed to the cause of helping families confronting the many challenges of autism," Jim Calhoun said in January, when the event was scheduled. "It is my hope that this event will bring Connecticut families together to raise dollars so important to all those facing this complex neurobiological disorder."

Autism affects one in 110 children, and one in 70 boys. In Connecticut, one child in 99 is affected. Amy Calhoun, Jeff recalled, recognized very early that something was not right with their middle child and acted quickly to get the proper diagnosis and treatment at 18 months.

"I had worked with autistic children, and I knew the telltale signs," Amy Calhoun said. "She had lost language, lost eye contact. It was a feeling of helplessness. We were going to doctors and I am thinking, 'Please tell me nothing is wrong,' 'Please say, "You're nuts, get out of here.'" But no one was saying that. … The tools for treating autism are really not where they should be, and our hopes and goals for this event [are] to raise money to improve them."

Today, as Reese approaches her ninth birthday, she has problems communicating, but is very artistic and bright, her mother says.

"She can do things on a computer that even I wouldn't dream of doing," Amy said. "She calls her grandfather all the time. She knows all about the team. They have such a bond — they are very sweet together."

The coach has been out since Feb. 3, when he began a medical leave to address spinal stenosis, which is causing him lower back and leg pain. After trying different treatments, Calhoun decided Wednesday to have surgery, scheduled for Monday. If it goes well, he could be back as early as March 3, when the Huskies play Pittsburgh in the regular-season finale at Gampel Pavilion. UConn has gone 3-3 since he has been out.

"He's happy that he's got a path now," Jeff said. "He has been champing at the bit on about eight different levels. He wants to get back to work, and he wants to get his life back, because he's a very active person."

Knowing Calhoun's intensity on the sideline, it would be easy to assume that he is a "caged animal" having to watch games at home, but his son says that's not the case.

"He's much more calm than you might expect," Jeff Calhoun said. "He's very analytical about the games. I was talking to him for about an hour during the Seton Hall game [Feb. 4] and for some reason he didn't want to watch for a while, so I was keeping track of the game on my iPad and telling him what was going on. He is frustrated, in the way a fan might be frustrated, because he can't control things."